Dick's Drive-In location on Seattle's Capitol Hill to close in December for remodeling

Residents in Seattle's busy Capitol Hill neighborhood should get their deluxe burger and fries fix soon, as the Dick's Drive-In location on Broadway will close on Dec. 13 for remodeling work.

The location has not been remodeled since the building was constructed in 1954, one year before the iconic Broadway location opened. While the exterior of the building will remain the same and maintain the vintage drive-in charm, the interior will get new plumbing, built-in coolers and electrical equipment.

"We hope to reopen sometime in spring of 2022," wrote Dick's in a Facebook post Wednesday. "All of our employees will be temporarily transferring to other locations during the remodel and will be back to serve you when we reopen."

While the Broadway location will be closed into next year, Dick's said it is still planning for food truck visits in the neighborhood.

In September, the local fast food chain announced that it would be increasing its minimum wage to $19 per hour to attract more workers amid the current nationwide labor shortage. Workers will automatically move up to $20 per hour once they pass their first skills test, which usually occurs within the first 12 weeks of employment. Raises and bonuses also come with more skills training, and the top hourly pay rate for crew now stands at $21.75.

A new Dick's location is expected to open at the Crossroads Mall in Bellevue later this year. The new location fulfills a promise Dick's made to open a restaurant on the Eastside following the opening of the Kent location in 2018 and also marks a return to Bellevue — the old location closed in 1974.

The history of Dick’s dates back to Jan. 28, 1954, when Portland-born Dick Spady opened the first drive-in on N.E. 45th St. in Wallingford. Since its establishment, the beloved chain has opened a total of eight locations across the Puget Sound region.